In this news alert:

FRANCE – Minimum Salary Increases for EU Blue Card

The French government has increased the minimum salary requirements for European Union (EU) Blue Cards, effective 20 June 2016.

Salary Threshold

Blue Card holders in France must now be paid at least €53,836 per year (up from €53,331) or €4486 per month (up from €4444).

Background

On 20 June 2016 the French Ministry of the Interior published the latest average yearly gross reference salary. The minimum salary to qualify for the EU Blue Card in France is calculated as 1.5 times this reference salary.

The EU Blue Card is a work and residence permit, implemented in most EU countries, designed to attract highly-skilled non-EU nationals. To qualify, applicants need advanced qualifications or substantial experience, among other requirements. Benefits include the flexibility to change employers or move to another EU country, and work permission for a spouse.

The European Commission recently presented a proposal for a revamped EU Blue Card scheme, aimed at attracting more highly-skilled workers to the EU. The proposal includes a lower salary threshold of at most 1.4 times the average national salary.

Action Items

Review the salaries of current and future EU Blue Card holders in France;